


A Hidden Family

by Imiaslavie



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Character Study, Gen, Harm to Children, Sasuke/Naruto is mostly background and will bloom only in the end
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-29
Updated: 2016-03-29
Packaged: 2018-05-29 22:52:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6397195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Imiaslavie/pseuds/Imiaslavie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Orochimaru visits the Village that once was his home, he stumbles upon an unconscious feverish child in the forest. He isn't a fan of kids or people (he really isn't), but he feels for the kid that was wronged so much by the same place and people that Orochimaru himself once was.</p><p>Can something grow from this accidental meeting?</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Hidden Family

**Author's Note:**

> There will be NO slash relationship between Orochimaru and Naruto! This work is about a family bond between them. BUT Sasuke/Naruto IS there, very background, mostly in the end.

It didn’t matter that it was raining. It didn’t matter that lights were broken again in this part of the village and it was hard to see where you step. It didn’t even really matter that his wrist was screaming in pain and his skin felt raw in many-many places.

All that mattered was a feeling of betrayal inside of him.

It shouldn’t have been there, you can’t really be betrayed by someone who isn’t your friend and who you know hates you. Know for quite a time, know from the pain and cuts and dislocated bones.

Too much trust had always been Naruto Uzumaki’s problem.

Time after time he would try and trust other kids again, trust to accept him or at least not to hurt him.

Time after time he would end up getting beaten up by them.

Today was one of the worst Naruto had ever had. He had bought himself some fruits a while ago, not being able to resist, and today he didn’t have enough money to get a meal. Allowance from the Hokage wasn’t made to be spent at fresh oranges and juicy apples, only to buy food for fueling his body. Maybe Naruto could try to ask for more, he once had heard a woman on the street telling her son that fruits are important for children, so, maybe, Hokage would consider raising his allowance… But who he was kidding, why would Hokage listen to him. He never did.

Long story short — he was tired. He’d been running from kids all evening, trying to lose them, and he managed to do that only by hiding in a forest atop of the hill with Kage’s wall. It was dark, unwelcoming, the ground covered in dirt and millions of tropes. And it was very loud in here, raindrops hitting meaty leaves of the trees.

  
But Naruto kept going further and further, afraid that kids could track him down again. Eventually, he found himself so deep in the forest he couldn’t see lights of the Village or tropes under his feet. He guessed that simple folk didn’t wander this far and ninjas used the trees.

He didn’t know how much time had passed, but he knew his legs ached and his head felt dizzy. The rain felt good on his skin, soothing him. His lungs were burning so hard he almost forgot about the pain in his wrist.

When Naruto stumbled and fell on the ground, he didn’t get up.

 

***

Visiting Village had become some sort of masochistic pleasure for Orochimaru. He was mature enough to admit he missed it, missed its streets, little, almost unknown to others shops with antique scrolls and books, missed the pastries the old woman who once lived across him made (he had never tasted them, but the smell was good enough to remember). But also he loathed it, and the thought of fully going back never crossed his mind.

Still, he loved the forests surrounding the giant pit the Village was, the shade of green was the most pleasant he had ever seen; although he knew it was stupid to think like that, many other places had trees with leaves of that shade, and still…

He traveled fast and swift through trees, his feet touching branches just for a part of a second. The rain was lovely in its coldness, marking this small crusade to the Village the best he had had in quite a time.

Something bright and yellowish caught his eye, just a streak of color under his feet. Orochimaru stopped and jumped back in one swift motion, searching for this _‘_ something’ that never was there before.

His eyes widened when he noticed small unmoving body on the ground.

He jumped down, landing without a sound, and approached the body. It was a boy, just four or five years old, his blonde hair truly a color of the sun, even dump and dirty like now. Orochimaru knelt before him, wanting to inspect him closer. He immediately noticed uneven breathing and, when he amplified his hearing with chakra, even heard how wheezy it was. He touched child’s forehead with his palm. The kid was burning.

He never cared for children, never really cared for people at all; he never cared about the casualties or people that were useless to the mission or, even worse, could ruin it. He never was a kind samaritan. And still… something tightened in his chest, just a little. Could he relate to this child? No, not really. He was always strong and stubborn enough not to let people bring him down, not like that. What was it then, that made him stop, made him consider…

Orochimaru glanced at the kid again, then looked around, just to see nothing but darkness made of ugly trunks and clouds of leaves. Darkness, yes. As deep and cruel as the darkness of corruption that swallowed the Village, its council, its people, even including – he gave the unconscious body another glance – the youngest of them. They had the audacity to turn kids into feral animals, throw them away to die. And no one would come for this child, it was obvious. So late and no obvious commotion in the Village? No one was looking for anyone.

The child with a sun in his hair and on his skin had no one.

“I’m gonna regret this one,” Orochimaru mumbled, scooping light body in his arms and disappearing in the rippling air.

 

***

Fever got a strong grip of kid. It was harsh, but, thankfully, didn’t change into something worse. And kid’s body was fighting the disease with ferocity, yearning to become healthy as soon as possible. Orochimaru felt like a mere helper, not a savior, and he found this almost funny. What child couldn’t fight without him, however, was a badly sprained wrist. Orochimaru took care of it, applied his own ointments and bandaged, and even managed to get the kid to swallow some painkillers.

Dozens of wet towels on a forehead, five or so bowls of spoon-fed soup (a quite humiliating process for sannin it was) and four nights of feverish dreams later the kid woke up. Eyes, previously darkened by fever, now shone with blue. Orochimaru searched for a fear in them and found none.

“I found you in the forest,” he said, deciding to omit his name, just in case. “You lost your consciousness and had a fever. Also, your left wrist is sprained, try not to move it too much and be careful. It’s been four days.” Small pause. “You understand?”

The boy gave him a small nod, his eyes exploring the room, although there wasn’t much to explore; sannin put him in a spare one, empty but for the bed and nightstand, bare walls of stone warm in a light of the candles.

Finally, kid’s eyes stopped on Orochimaru, studying his face, his colorful kimono. He opened his mouth to say something, but then closed it, his lips forming a bitter curve, his eyes quickly starting to glisten with a thin veil of tears. The kid tried to speak again and again he failed, obviously trying to stop himself from sobbing.

“If you don’t want to talk, would that be your story or gratitude, don’t. I’ll leave you to think about what happened to you. Do you need something now?” The boy shook his head in answer. “Then I’ll go. Just one thing. I’d like to know your name. Can you do it for me?”

Orochimaru surprised himself with his patience, but there really wasn’t a point to hurry a kid. His story was obvious sans for details and they could wait. But name... it was important. A name was a powerful thing.

And child answered to him, his voice strong and unshaken like it wasn’t him suffering from fever for days.

“Naruto,” he said. “My name is Naruto.”

 

***

Naruto, who, apparently, hadn’t share his last name on purpose, the fact that intrigued Orochimaru beyond belief, stayed in the bed for two more days, gathering strength stolen by the disease. He ate by himself and used a toilet by himself and finally showered. On the morning of the third day, Orochimaru found him making a bed, quite skillfully for a child, and the way he did all these things just confirmed Orochimaru’s initial thought that kid was used to looking after himself. Had his parents or guardians been neglecting him fully?

“I see that you’re up already”, he said in greetings. “Come. We’ll have breakfast together in the kitchen.”

The kid nodded, not surprised by commanding tone, and followed him, his face solemn. He was quickly awed, though, by the rest of the house, furnished, walls covered by intricate wallpaper, pieces of paper with seals pinned to them there and there.

But what finally broke his façade was the breakfast Orochimaru had prepared for them, already served on individual plates, so the kid wouldn’t doubt he had his own portion. Oatmeal with nuts and berries, a warm piece of bread, a bowl of sliced peaches and a glass of milk. No meat, that could be too much for a weak organism, the decision Orochimaru voices out loud for the kid.

“Dig in,” he added, and the kid started shoving oatmeal in his mouth. “Manners,” Orochimaru reprimanded, and kid froze. “Slow down. No one is going to take it from you.”

After this small hitch, breakfast went slow and good. Orochimaru sipped his tea, then, when the kid looked at him with worry while finishing peaches, poured another cup, just to give the kid time to prepare himself for a talk they both knew was coming.

“I’ve never got lost in a forest before,” Naruto started all of a sudden. “But they, the other kids, they were too angry this time and there were too many, I just kept goin’ and goin’. And then it was too dark for me to see anythin’, and I didn’t know which way the Village was anymore, and no one ever taught me how to find my way in a forest, and—”

“Hush,” sannin said, pairing words with a hand gesture. “Slow down. Let’s do this right. Why did these kids do this to you? No, rather, why they keep doing this to you?”

“It was the first time they did this to me.”

“But you said…”

“It was the first time _they_ did this to me,” Naruto repeated, his voice breaking a little at the word _they_ , and then it dawned on Orochimaru. He swallowed as if something bitter was in his mouth.

“What, pray tell me, could a child like you have done to be hated by the whole village?” Orochimaru asked. Naruto shook his head violently. He didn’t want to tell? Or… “You… don’t know?”

“I never did. They just… hate me. All of them. And they are ‘fraid o’ me. I’ve tried to talk, to ask, but they just run away.” He looked at his wrist. “Or hurt me.”

“And Hokage, what of him? Doesn’t he protect you?”

“No. He… visits my place sometimes. Gives me money so I could buy food. But… he doesn’t care.”

“You live alone?” At that, Orochimaru barely stopped himself from dropping the fragile tea cup in his hand on the table, instead putting it down as carefully as he could. This was the Will of Fire, in all its beauty. A lonely child, hated by everyone, against the world, trying to get by with scraps the Village throws him. If there ever remained some sort of warm feelings towards Konoha, they truly and fully disappeared this moment. Naruto nodded to him, his head lowered, eyes hidden by the fringe.

“I just… I don’t understand… I never did anything to them, I have never bullied anyone, I have never damaged anything, never ever hurt a living being or stole anything or told any lies. Why…” he lifted his head and met Orochimaru’s gaze, his eyes glistening with unshed tears, “Why are they like that?”

The kid started weeping, quiet sobs escaping him. He wiped tears from his cheeks with good hand using too much force, then again and again till there were angry red stripes on his skin.

Whatever Orochimaru ever thought of kids, that was too much for him. He stood up from his chair, circled the table and leaned on it right beside Naruto. His hand shot up and caught Naruto’s palm, stopping it.

“Konoha was my home once. But I saw what a corrupt place it was and left.” Kid stilled, listening to him. “I left years ago, but sometimes still felt doubts, still felt compelled to come back and look at it from afar. God, I _missed_ it, I can admit that much. But in you… In you, I got knowledge that I was right. And you, child… You know this.” His hand took a hold of Naruto’s chin and lifted his head up, so their eyes could meet. “There’s nothing wrong with you. There is no fault on you. It’s the whole place around you that wronged you. Never feel like you owe them anything like your trust or obedience. No one could ever justify a place that is cruel to children. Do you understand?”

Naruto looked like he was on the verge of crying again, but he mastered himself. He once again wiped tears from his face, this time with gentle motions. And he looked… relieved. Just a little bit, but relieved.

“I understand. And… thank you. For taking me in. You could’ve left me in a forest and you… What?” he asked, startled when he met Orochimaru’s angry gaze.

“Listen, kid. I’m a bad person, okay? Hush. I am. I’ve done bad things, I _will_ keep doing them and I won’t feel bad about it. If I hadn’t left the Village by myself, I would’ve been exiled. That fact as much should tell how dangerous I am. And believe me when I say I don’t like people and don’t have urges to waste my time on them. But even I wouldn’t leave a kid to die in a middle of nowhere. You really need your moral compass set straight, you know that, child?” Orochimaru sighed, his hand sliding through golden hair in an absentminded caress.

“Thank you,” Naruto said again, looking really flustered all of a sudden. “No one ever took care of me before. And if you are really a bad person you say… You weren’t bad for me. And it’s enough. Because the people that considered good in my village never once were good to me. I… I prefer you over them.”

This time, Orochimaru definitely felt something warm in his chest. The kid didn’t understand some obvious things one minute and then was saying some very intelligent observations the next one. Such a curious kid with a horrible life and mystery behind his shoulders. And what a shame would it be to toss him back to his torturers.

“But I wouldn’t be there for you. You know that.” Naruto’s face darkened at that, and Orochimaru caressed his hair again. “I looked after you while you were ill, but however bad I feel for you, you are not my responsibility and there is no place for a child in my life. You won’t be coming back to this house after I return you to the Village. That is really not who I am. The only thing I can give you is advice, quite banal and poor at that. Don’t forget that you have never done any wrongs. Never think of this bullying as of something you should accept as a penance. And don’t let them break you.” Kid sobbed again. “You will grow up. They will too, of course, but you will have more freedom and possibilities to defend yourself. And, if you ever find yourself wanting it, you could leave. Just like I did.” He paused. “Do you understand?”

“I didn’t do anything wrong. I don’t deserve to be punished. I should fight,” Naruto answered, yet again surprising Orochimaru by this acute summarization. “I understand. Thank you. I’ll remember it.”

“Good. Now…” Orochimaru was going to say that they should get going, he really was, but light, disappearing from Naruto’s eyes, made him change his mind. How stupid, to become so soft for one kid. And yet, he indulged himself. “You can sit in a living room and I can give you some scrolls to read. And tomorrow I will return you to the Village. How about that?”

Naruto agreed, smile, so bright and wide, appearing on his face for the first time.

Orochimaru didn’t feel so stupid for indulging himself anymore.

 

***

“So… here we are,” Orochimaru said, looking at red rooftops of little towers and water containers with disdain. “What do you want to bet no one noticed your disappearance?”

He sighed internally at himself for a too harsh joke right away, but Naruto just giggled at that, and sannin let himself smile. The kid was good. Give him some time, and his skin would be too thick to break through for anyone.

Naruto took a dozen of steps forward, leaving the line of trees behind, the sun hitting him with warm rays, and turned around to look at his savior. Orochimaru remained in the shadows of leaves, the golden threads of his kimono glistening with a dim light.

“Goodbye, child. Remember what I said.”

“You… you won’t be coming back, will you?” the kid asked, his hand meddling with his T-shirt in a nervous gesture.

“No. I won’t. I’m done with this village. It has only one good thing, and it tries to destroy it.” It took just a few days, some meaningful talks and some silly chit-chats for him to realize that.

“You mean…”

“Yes.”

Naruto gave him a sad smile, then suddenly looked unsure. He opened his mouth to speak, closed, opened again…

“This time you don’t have a luxury of waiting. Either tell it or not,” Orochimaru prompted him, fighting hot tingling in his feet. Was he that eager to leave that his body was vibrating in anticipation? It couldn’t be anything else, of course.

“One time,” kid finally blurted out. “Can you come back one time? I want to give you something, to say thank you. I know it wouldn’t be much, but I really, really, _really_ want. Can you? Please?”

It really wasn’t in Orochimaru's plans, neither returning to the village nor meeting with the kid again. But he really didn’t have it in his stupid misbehaving heart to deny something to a child who never ever got what he wanted when he asked.

“Okay. One time.”

“Yoush!” Naruto squeaked. “Come here in a week, okay? I’ll wait for you!” He turned, ready to run, but stopped abruptly and turned back. “Wait. I don’t know your name!”

“Can’t we meet without you knowing it?”

“But I want to. If I am to remember your advice, I want to remember the name of a man who gave them,” kid pouted. Pouted. Such a fast learner he was.

The man sighed, realizing he had lost to the kid. Yet again.

“My name is Orochimaru, child. Remember it, if you wish so.”

And then he dissolved in the air.

 

***

No matter what Orochimaru had been doing this week, he couldn’t shake the kid off his mind. He thought about him, and again, and again rage and hatred towards the Village would fill him, towards the hypocrite of a Hokage that his ex-teacher was, towards each one of the villagers.

But at the same time, he felt good things, warm things. He realized he had started to love his house more, his sanctuary, his hideout, so far away from Konoha and its rot. And curiosity, like a summer bug, was a constant presence in his mind.

What would it be, this ‘something’ Naruto promised? What could a kid with a broken moral compass and unbalanced view of the world and the worth of things consider an appropriate gift for saving his life? And could he even get the things he would choose?

Hiding in a familiar shadow of trees at the dawn of the seventh day, Orochimaru was too excited too just sit. He walked to and fro, stretched his legs and arms, played with leaves on the low branches. When his chakra-amplified hearing caught familiar steps, he finally stopped fidgeting.

“You came!” Naruto’s happy voice greeted him. His arms were hidden behind his back.

“As I promised.”

“I knew you would! And, uh… so…” kid’s enthusiasm changed into shyness when he closed up with Orochimaru, and he gulped under man’s scrutinizing gaze. After five seconds he took a huge breath and his hand shot up forward.

There was an apple in his palm.

An apple.

Orochimaru stared at it, a big shiny globe of red color, even with a steam and a little leaf on it.

“I saved up from my allowance!” the kid announced, proud and happiness in his voice. “I sometimes do, once a month, because I heard that children must eat fruits. I like them a lot but can’t buy them often. And this time I saved really good and bought the biggest apple I could find because it was for you! Do you like it?”

Did he like it? Orochimaru kept staring at the damn fruit, thoughts swirling in his head like angry bees. An _apple_. The kid brought him an _apple_ as a gift for saving his _life_. The man felt something stinging in his eyes.

“Oh no… Oh no…” Naruto’s voice was shivering. “You don’t like it so much? So much you’re crying?” Crying? “I’m sorry! I thought… I did…”

Crying. No, not crying, just one tear, and... Oh, oh _fuck._ Fucking _apple_.

Orochimaru rushed forward, grabbing the apple with one hand and with another — grabbing Naruto by shoulders and shoving his small body into his knees in an awkward half-embrace.

“Thank you. It’s a wonderful gift,” Orochimaru spoke in a soft voice. The child was still in his arms, and Orochimaru knew why, and he was angry because of it. Naruto had never been hugged.

“But… why are you crying then?”

How do you tell a child that he was wrong about life? About how many wonderful things were out there, things he didn’t know of? How do you break his world even more? You don’t. Not if you don’t intend to repair it.

“I cry because I love apples so much. I love making jam from them.”

“Really?”

“Really. If you come back to my house with me, I could show you how I do it. And even taste it.”

Naruto stepped back, as far as Orochimaru’s hold let him, to look up at the man. Orochimaru sat down on his knees so it would be easier. The kid was shocked, disbelief written all over his face.

“But you said... You said I won’t be coming back.”

“I did.”

“And that there’s no place for a child in your life!”

“I did.”

“And that… this is not who you are. That you are not the man to… to take responsibility for others and take care of them.”

“I did,” Orochimaru repeated yet again. “But I want to find out if I truly am like that. Will you help me with that?”

That could have been a huge mistake. It probably was. It was so rushed Orochimaru felt dizzy in the head. But when thin arms encircled his shoulders and spiky blonde hair tickled his cheek, he felt like something was right.

Experimenting with your own life never was easy or safe. But he was ready to try.

**Author's Note:**

> So, I've been having this AU in my head for months. I love Orochimaru, maybe far more than he deserves, and I am a huge sucker for villains having redemption arcs, and I really wanted to try and do a character study of Orochimaru, but without forgetting the fact that he is a bad guy. So, by this fic I'm indulging myself.  
> It would be done mostly by a series of timestamps, will go through the whole plot without the details and focusing on Naruto and Orochimaru relationship. The plot stays basically the same, it just has whole another level.


End file.
